Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures (F) were recorded across the state of Hawaii Saturday…along with the minimums Saturday:

84 – 75  Lihue, Kauai
86 – 79  Honolulu, Oahu
88 – 78  Molokai
87 – 76  Kahului AP, Maui 
91 – 80  Kailua Kona AP
86 – 74  Hilo, Hawaii

Here are the latest 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands, as of Saturday evening:

0.94  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
2.40  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
0.60  Molokai AP, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
5.16  Puu Kukui, Maui
8.18  Saddle Quarry, Big Island

The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph)…as of Saturday evening:

38  Port Allen, Kauai – NE
45  Kuaokala, Oahu – NE
35  Molokai – NE
40  Lanai – NE
43  Kahoolawe – NE
36  Kaupo Gap, Maui – NNE
37  Waikoloa, Big Island – NE

Hawaii’s Mountains – Here’s a link to the live web cam on the summit of near 13,800 foot Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. This web cam is available during the daylight hours here in the islands…and when there’s a big moon shining down during the night at times. Plus, during the nights you will be able to see stars, and the sunrise and sunset too… depending upon weather conditions.


Aloha Paragraphs

http://weather.unisys.com/satellite/sat_ir_enh_west_loop-12.gif
Tropical Storm Niala…-south-southeast of the Big Island

Here’s a wind profile…of the area around the islands –
with a closer view of Hawaii

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/west/cpac/vis.jpg
Tropical Storm Niala is south-southeast of the Big Island…
with upper level wind shear causing it to weaken

Here’s a satellite image of this tropical storm, along
with what the computer models are showing

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/west/hi/vis.jpg

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/floaters/06C/imagery/vis0-lalo.gif
Closest look at Tropical Storm Niala with
the upper level part of this storm being
sheared towards the northeast

 

http://www.prh.noaa.gov/cphc/tc_graphics/2015/graphics/CP062015W.gif


http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/RadarImg/hawaii.gif
There are showers locally, mostly offshore…although
stretching over the islands too – looping radar image


Small Craft Wind Advisory…all coasts and channels –
through 6am Monday

Gale Warning…Pailolo and Alenuihaha Channels

High Surf Advisory…east shores of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai
and Maui – through 6am Monday

Tropical Storm Warning…offshore waters beyond 40 miles

Wind Advisory…smaller Hawaiian Islands

Flash Flood Watch…for the Big Island – until
Monday afternoon

 

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~



Strong and gusty trade winds…through this weekend into the first part of the new week. Here’s the latest weather map, showing the Hawaiian Islands, and the rest of the North Pacific Ocean, along with a wind profiler of the central Pacific. We find a moderately strong high pressure system far to the northneast of the state. Our winds are arriving from the trade wind direction, and will continue to do so well into the future. As tropical storm Niala gets closer to Hawaii, our trade winds will become stronger, and remain strong and gusty as this tropical cyclone passes by south of the islands.

We’ll find off and on showers along our windward sides…blowing over into the leeward sides on the trade winds locally. Island skies will be partly to mostly cloudy, depending on location. The windward sides will receive the bulk of the incoming showers…although the leeward areas will receive some at times too. There will be increasing showers over the islands through this weekend…especially the Big Island. The source of this rainfall will be tropical moisture coming up from the southeast, associated with tropical storm Niala. The models go on to show the return to a more normal trade wind weather pattern by the middle of next week. There’s a chance that heavy rains may arrive over the eastern islands later in the new week ahead.

Tropical Storm Niala (pronounced Nee-ah-la) remains active to our south-southeast. Here’s a satellite image of this tropical system, along with what the latest computer models are showing. This satellite image gives a larger context of this tropical storm and the Hawaiian Islands. Here’s a near real-time wind profiler showing this counter-clockwise rotating tropical cyclone southeast of the Big Island. As Niala moves by to the south of the state, our local trade winds will continue to be locally strong and gusty. The islands will see an increase in rainfall, most of which will fall over the Big Island…although not exclusively. The Big Island seems destined to see some of this precipitation causing flooding problems…mostly along the windward sides.

HAZARDS AFFECTING THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

RAINFALL…TOTAL RAINFALL OF 2 TO 8 INCHES…WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE OVER PARTS OF THE BIG ISLAND THROUGH MONDAY. THIS HEAVY RAINFALL COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS…AS WELL AS ROCK AND MUD SLIDES.

SURF...SWELLS ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL STORM NIALA WILL PRODUCE LARGE SURF ALONG THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST FACING SHORES OF MAINLY THE BIG ISLAND THROUGH MONDAY.


Friday Evening Film: A new film is out, and it looked very exciting, at least according to the trailer, which I’ve put a link to below. It’s called Everest, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Clarke, John Hawkes, Josh Brolin, Robin Wright, Keira Knightley…among many others. The synopsis: 2 Guns Helmer Baltasar Kormakur directs Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, Jason Clarke, and John Hawkes in this adventure docudrama, set in 1996, when a number of simultaneous expeditions up Mount Everest resulted in the deaths of eight climbers.

My friend Jeff and I saw this film, and we agreed that it deserved somewhere between a B+ and an A- grade. The visuals were superb, and for as much as I was looking for it, I didn’t see anything fake about it. I kept wondering how they got all those incredible shots…up there on that mountain of mountains! It was full of nerve wrenching moments, which in many ways were nightmares for these high altitude climbers. A large part of the story showed how one bad mistake can become deadly. I mean, it’s dangerous enough just being up there, although when ones mind plays tricks on itself, the mountain and the weather always wins. I liked the film, thought it was very well done, and was glad to have a taste of what it’s like up there that high…without having to experience it for real! If you have any interest…here’s the trailer.


Here on Maui…It’s 615am Saturday morning, with partly to mostly cloudy skies…with showers falling along our windward sides.

– Partly to mostly cloudy is the name of the game, with some showers falling out along the windward sides this afternoon.

– We’re into the early evening now, and its partly cloudy in general, with locally strong trade winds having their way with the island.

I’ll be back with many more updates on all of the above and below, I hope you have a great Saturday night wherever you’re spending it! Aloha for now…Glenn.


World-wide tropical cyclone activity:

>>> Atlantic Ocean:

Tropical Depression 10L (Ida) remains active, located 1050 miles east-northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands, with sustained winds of 30 mph. Here’s the NHC graphical track map, along with a satellite image of this system…and what the computer models are showing

1.)   Showers and thunderstorms are showing signs of organization in association with an area of low pressure located about 425 miles south-southwest of Bermuda. Some additional development of this system is possible and this system could become a tropical depression during the next day or so while it moves toward the northwest at 5 to 10 mph. After that time, development is not expected due to unfavorable upper-level winds.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…medium…50 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…medium…50 percent

Here’s a satellite image of the Atlantic Ocean

>>> Caribbean Sea: There are no active tropical cyclones

1.)   An area of low pressure over the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula and an upper-level low pressure system over the western Gulf of Mexico are producing a large area of disorganized cloudiness and showers extending from the northwestern Caribbean Sea northward over the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Upper-level winds are expected to be only marginally conducive for development while this system moves northward toward the northern Gulf Coast during the next couple of days. Regardless of tropical cyclone formation, this disturbance is likely to produce locally heavy rainfall over portions of the northern Gulf Coast and southeastern United States during the next several days. An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft is scheduled to investigate this system later today, if necessary.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…30 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…low…30 percent

>>> Gulf of Mexico: There are no active tropical cyclones

Here’s a satellite image of the Caribbean Sea…and the Gulf of Mexico

Here’s the link to the National Hurricane Center (NHC)

>>> Eastern Pacific: 

Tropical Storm 17E (Marty) remains active, located 235 miles southwest of Acapulco, Mexico, with sustained winds of 60 mph. Here’s the NHC graphical track map, along with a satellite image of this system…and what the computer models are showing

1.)   A broad area of low pressure is expected to form over the next couple of days from a surface trough located about 1000 miles southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. Environmental conditions appear conducive for development of this system by the middle of the week while it moves slowly northward or northeastward.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low 10 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…medium 40 percent

Here’s a wide satellite image that covers the entire area between Mexico, out through the central Pacific…to the International Dateline.

Here’s the link to the National Hurricane Center (NHC)

>>> Central Pacific:

Tropical Storm 06C (Niala) remains active, located 245 miles south-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, with sustained winds of 50 mph. Here’s the CPHC graphical track map, along with a satellite image of this system…and what the computer models are showing.

Here’s a link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC)

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean:


Typhoon 21W (Dujuan) remains active, located 276 NM east-southeast of Taipei, Taiwan, with sustained winds of 144 mph, with gusts to near 173 mph. Here’s the JTWC graphical track map, along with a satellite image…and with what the computer models show.

>>> South Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones


>>> North and South Indian Oceans: There are no active tropical cyclones

Here’s a link to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)


Interesting: Stargazers, night owls and space observers be prepared, the eclipse of the supermoon is coming. The United States and much of the world will see skies graced by a bright, big moon that will be encapsulated in a total lunar eclipse late Sunday evening into early Monday, according to NASA.

The lunar combination is happening for the first time in 30 years.

[While Hawai‘i was well-placed for the last three total lunar eclipses (On April 14, 2014; October 7-8 2014; and April 4, 2015), our luck runs out with this one. This eclipse ends at 6:27 p.m. Hawai’i Standard Time on September 27, which is exactly when the moon rises in Hawai‘i that night. The partial phrase that follows totality will run till 12:27 a.m. EDT on September 29 (6:27 p.m. Hawai’i Standard Time, which means the eclipse ends in Hawai’i at literally the exact minute the moon rises).]

The supermoon, which comes around once every year, will appear 14% larger and 30% brighter in the sky that evening before it is engulfed by an eclipse for more than an hour.

As if that wasn’t already a spectacular sight, this eclipse is the fourth and final in the so called “blood moons,” a phrase that has become popular to describe the four lunar eclipses we have seen in 2014 and 2015. Scientifically this is known as a “lunar tetrad.”

Another supermoon eclipse will not occur again until 2033

The total lunar eclipse will last about one hour and 12 minutes, according to NASA. It will be seen in North and South America, as well as Europe, Africa, parts of West Asia and the eastern Pacific.

However, skywatchers can camp out early for the partial lunar eclipse, which will begin at 8 p.m. ET in the United States. As the planet’s shadow dims the supermoon, this will create dramatic viewing opportunities for observers. The eclipse will reach its peak during the 10 o’clock hour, giving the supermoon a reddish, copper-like hue. The event should end after midnight.

Unlike solar eclipses, which need to be viewed with special eye gear, the lunar eclipse can be seen with the naked eye after nightfall.

People interested in seeing the event can simply step outside Sunday evening to see the lunar phenomenon. For a better view, some parks and planetariums in the United States will be scheduling viewing parties.

Since the orbit of the moon is not a perfect circle, there are times when the moon is closer to our planet. This is known as perigee. Sunday’s supermoon will technically be a perigee full moon, the closest full moon of the year, NASA says.

“There’s no physical difference in the moon,” said Noah Petro, scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “It just appears slightly bigger in the sky. It’s not dramatic, but it does look larger.”

Lunar eclipses are common and happen twice a year. However, there are some end-times theorists who view Sunday’s event as a signal for the end of the world.

Petro explained that the combination of a supermoon and eclipse happening at the same time is just planetary dynamics. “When the rhythms line up, you might get three to four eclipses in a row or a supermoon and an eclipse happening,” he said.

But the last time a supermoon eclipse occurred was in 1982, making Sunday’s rare event worth staying up past bedtime.